Flora: The Clever Dog with a Heartwarming Tale

The story was started with one stray doggy in our street, She was so cruel, may bite anyone for no reason, and short-tempered in nature. She was not able to adopt any human instantly, if you go nearby with her, she will bark at you and chase you for a whole long road until she catches you. In short, You might have a better idea how was she!

At that time, I was just 5 years old and learned about how to ride a bicycle with a help of two sider supporting wheels. One day, I was riding a bicycle on my society roads and suddenly I saw her running to my side and at that time I was a newbie to ride a bicycle (just learning it). She previously barked at me many times and I was afraid of her when I see her. Then I dropped my bicycle aside and running towards my home with my fullest speed. She was chasing me, and after running a long way, I checked she was not chasing me anymore, I was tired and felt relaxed at that moment and stopped there. I was looking here and there to get my bicycle back, I got it finally and then I was going to my home after it.

In between going home, I saw her sitting in our neighbor's home, she had a deep wound on her left leg. She was crying with pain, I felt her pain and thought to help her in any way. I was internally afraid of her nature, I thought, “What if she bites me on my leg or hands, I must have to take 14 Injections or vaccination because of that.” Then I realized, “What if she bites me, the pain will be like a small kid bites you.”

I went home and asked my mom to give me some biscuits for her and My mom gave me a small packet of Parle-G biscuits. I explained everything to my mom and she said, “be careful and don’t go nearby her much, let me take some bandages and talcum powder, and let’s go there to see her…”. My mom and Me — both went to that neighbor's home but she wasn’t there, We were looking for her in the next neighbors' houses (we have tenements in a row). We finally found her, Her leg was bleeding a bit because of a deep wound. I opened a packet of biscuits and gave it to her, she started eating biscuits, my mom and me — both put our hands on her and papering her to make her feel comfortable. We almost win her trust and then my mom put talcum powder and bandages on her leg and she hadn’t any pain with that. After few days her wound was recovered and she was fine. She was really cool from her nature. She was barking at someone or staying angry all the time, it was because of some bad incident with her! I am not sure about my previous life. But as a stubborn kid, I thought to always help dogs.

After 3–4 months she got pregnant, we gave her healthy food daily, when she gets hungry — she came to our home mostly. In few months she gave birth to 5 puppies. We were nurturing her and she has trust in us, so she gave birth to those puppies in our ground next to my home itself. My mom made some food using Desi Ghee (or Butter) full of nutrition. She had to do breastfeeding to their puppies so she must be healthy.

Here She comes — Flora, we were used to playing with those puppies and grow together with each other we kept names of Dogs like Flora, Jimmy, Tommy, Luke, Mickey! After few months of giving birth to her puppies, their mom was passed away! I took this as responsibility and feeding them as my daily routine, I was also saving some money to give them Milk and more biscuits (I am Vegetarian only.)

Flora was so much smart and has a good understanding between us, When she finds me, she runs towards me immediately. We grow up together, I still have lots of memories with her. I am really obsessed with her. When my mom makes Rotis (chapati or tortillas), first we give food to dogs and cows, then we start eating the food. When I was crying for any reason, I used to spend time with them, and honestly, they were giving me some sympathy and asked me to not cry more! When I am coming home after school at 5 PM with my bicycle, all the dogs were waiting for me and come together home with me. I gave them some food as always.

“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”– Orhan Pamuk

Days were passing in a really very well manner, After 5–6 years, Flora came up in touch with one new street dog and they have a better understanding of each other. After sexual intercourse, Flora also became pregnant in few days. I am taking care of 6 dogs almost at that time.

When it is time like someone is scolding me, she will be always in my favor. She will bark at them and say, “Don’t say anything to my owner! he is innocent.” When I have to fight with anyone while playing outdoor games, She always comes there to rescue me! I can express my feeling in one sentence!

Once you feed a dog, they will be loyal for you for their entire life time! — Rakshit

In few days Flora also gave birth to 6 puppies but in a weird place! I was aware that, she will give birth to puppies in few days. She was disappeared for 2–3 days, I was looking for her here and there in our society houses, but still didn’t find her! On the 4th day, she came up waving her tail, She becomes too thin and also looks likes she didn’t eat after her baby delivery! She was pulling my clothes using her mouth. I felt like she needs some help and also crying a little bit as she was asking for help. I thought something was wrong with her at that time. So I was also run behind her.

At that time, I don’t have a camera or anything, but yes I have those memories. Look at the above image, it depicts all the situation, I tried to draw it.

She gave birth to 6 puppies in a desolate space, she took me to the 2nd floor of the terrace of the house, which was far like 8–9 houses from my home. She climbed on the water tank, there we have one groove place, a tiny and dirty space where it was really hard to go inside it for a human or a kid like me. I was 12 years old at that time. Now, that groove was around 8 feet downside, and hard to go there for me, puppies were crying over there, I listen to their beautiful voice. I just want to get them out of there, otherwise, if they fall from 12–14 feet, they will die.

I called my gang to save those puppies and all got together to help me out too. I also grab one stool from my home and put it there so I can go downside 7 feet. I tried to call those puppies with a sound like “bow bow… tchch tchhhh tchhh tchtchhctchhh”, so if they come a little bit outside then I can grab them from the groove. I can’t use a rod or any lengthy thing to get all puppies because they were just born before 2–3 days and their skins were also soft. I called Flora and she just jumped again to come with me. After watching their mom, two puppies came nearby to drink milk from her breast at that time, I grabbed both the puppies and give them to my friends who were already climbed on the water tank. For saving other puppies it was really challenging for me, I tried to go inside that groove, but I can’t and all puppies were too small, they weren’t listening to me! They were taking a rest at that time. After two and half hours few puppies woke up and they were crying loudly, so I give a slow push to Flora to go inside a bit so if they might get out of it, and this time it worked — 3 puppies came out again successfully.

Now Only one left which was there and I found no movement. I was afraid for the last puppy and I thought what if that last puppy has died? There were lots of things running in my mind and I can’t stop thinking negative things. I got one stick and added a piece of Roti (chapati) dipped with milk and then I was just trying to attract that last pup. That pup was smelling the piece of Roti and started licking it with its small young. “Slurppp slurppp…”

Then I found one handkerchief, I spread it put just next to the pup, I was waiting when he put itself and I can pull the handkerchief so I can save that last pup. After 15–20 minutes of effort finally, that puppy came closer to the handkerchief and I pulled it slowly.

It was really great moment for me that I saved all the puppies with no harm. We took all the puppies and Flora to our home. Flora and me both looking at each other and I can’t control hugging her. She also hugged me back and I feel like she was saying thank you to me! After watching this incident my mom was also feeling proud of me that I did really great work and given me 30 bucks to buy milk for them. Happily, I bought milk and gave it to Flora.

I saw that Flora is putting blind trust in me just like a real human being. I saw the quality of being loyal in her eyes. We both were the one and everyone in our society knows about our splendid combination, our friendship.

After the above incident, I made one small home for all puppies and Flora using some wooden pieces, nails, and a hammer, also somewhat sand & cement too. In winter we keep brownish color bags of wheat for them so they don't get much cold, they can stay happy there even in winter, summer, or rainy days. I also put one big bowl to feed them. When I feed them a chapati with butter (Ghee) — Most often I have a fight with my Grandmother, she doesn’t like that I give food to dogs because she always hates pets. So when she was busy at some work or occupied with other work, my mom silently gives me too many Rotis/chapatis secretly for them. I have almost 10+ pets and I am happy for it.

Once upon a time, we were sleeping and the time was around Midnight 3:00 AM. Dogs were staying outside in their home and my home was the end of society, and behind our home, it's a place where nobody stays, so it becomes a desolate space! At midnight I just woke up suddenly because of some voice, I was acting to cough, and then the voice to cut window was gone. My mom-dad was sleeping in another room and I was afraid so much at that time. After few minutes somebody started to cut the iron rods on the window again, I thought it must be some thief and I started shouting loud that “Chor chor… ”

“Chor means Thief in English”.

At that time, 2–3 dogs came to nearby my home and start barking at that suspicious man. He runs away immediately. My mom-dad started light and they also heard a voice that somebody was running at that time.

Our neighbors also woke up and came up with some sticks to find a thief. That thief has already cut 2 roads from the window till now and run away after hearing the voice of all of them. My parents were saying Me (Rakshit) and The dogs save our home from Robbery!

Rakshit means, “To protect something”. (Flora and Me) We were the ones who protect everyone. In my real life, people are saying me as “Rax — The Savior”, because I am always saving my friends from trouble!

Hence Flora and their friends save us from the huge tragedy of robbery!

All puppies were growing up more, After almost a month, In my neighbors’ home, the underground water tank’s door was broken a little bit as shown below in the image.

This underground tank was like 10x12x15 feet and it was filled up the water around 75%+ already in that. A dog was playing around and maybe fallen inside it as it has some broken door. No one has the idea that the puppy was fallen inside it and trying to get out of it, he wants to survive.

I just came from my school, I was parking my cycle in front of my home. I was going inside the home and heard the voice of somebody is splashing in the water, then I heard a voice of a dog was crying, he was Flora’s Son Harry.

I opened the whole door from the handle, I put my bag aside, and without thinking anything I just jumped into that underground water. I don’t know swimming and coming out of the tank by myself was so hard as the water level was almost above 75%.

I hold that puppy first, put it on my shoulder, and then I just hold one tap (which fills up water in the tank), by hanging with that tap I was able to stay upside and so I can take breathe! It was really horrible moment! But I want to save that puppy in any way and I don’t have any choice!

I was yelling — shouting loudly to call my mom or someone, I was asking for help at that time. My mom came out and saw my bicycle was parked there. She was asking, “Where are you?” I said, “In the water tank, please get me out from here…”

When she came, she was looking at me and harry. She said, “ why you both jumped into the water tank?” She gave me a ladder to climb out of the tank.

After that, I explained everything about the incident to my mom and other neighbors who get together at that time — I said that “Harry was fell down and was crying loudly, splashing in the water because He was fall inside due to the broken door of the tank.“ At the time Flora was also come there and started licking Harry as he was so wet.

When my friends, guests or our teacher comes to our home, everyone knows about my hobby, what work I am doing, and How much deeply I love the dogs. Flora gave birth to 4–6 dogs for 3 times more after that incident in the next 5–7 years. Few of the dogs have died! Few of them are also set in the house. All neighbors are supportive and feeding them twice or thrice at least!

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” — Roger Caras

I spend almost 17 years with Flora, we did lots of adventures together. I had really great best friend. I heard that mostly Dogs are living their life for 12–15 years max. Whatever moment we spend together in our good or bad time it makes everything more special for me! At that time I don’t have a camera or money or I am not like a stubborn boy to buy a camera that time; otherwise, I would like to share her pictures over here. The last moment of her was really heartbreaking for me. When your attachments to someone went too deep and when they leave you alone forever, that time is really hard to believe that.

In the end, she died, Rest in peace. I am always praying god that, wherever she is right now, make her happy.

Those moments become a memories now!

Now it’s been a long time since her death! In the last 6 years on a single day, daily I remember her, think about her, and always thanks her because she made my whole childhood awesome.

Tell me about, what do you think about Flora’s life? — You can write a comment or contact me through my Instagram.

Originally Published on Vocal Media.